


Frostbite

by shotgunsandangelwings



Series: Stories from Project Freelancer [1]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Action, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Carolina Appreciation, Florida is the one for intel in the harshest ways, Gen, Mild Language, Pre-Series, Project Freelancer, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 20:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2441966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shotgunsandangelwings/pseuds/shotgunsandangelwings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When York and Connie are missing on a mission, Carolina worries about the fate of her teammates. And when the mission for retrieval comes, she hopes that the fact that she is expecting the worst doesn't come to be the truth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frostbite

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so this is my first work, no beta, etc.  
> I wrote this for Agent Carolina Appreciation week so please leave love for Carolina. Also any comments and help with writing would be great because i really want criticism for my first work. Otherwise, enjoy? I guess? Here we go. (Don't shoot me.)

Once she had gotten the call about a mission, she knew exactly what it was. York and Connecticut had been sent out a week ago on a recon mission for a new possible outpost for the Insurrection and hadn't come back yet. She'd tried hiding her worry by lashing out in training, doing a number on North in the process (though she is certain he knows exactly how she is feeling.) So when a mission had been called, she quickly got prepped and was headed to the Bridge.

Carolina moved through the corridors of the Mother of Invention, simply looking forward to and feeling anxious about the mission. She hoped it had something to do with her missing teammates. If it were, she could actually do something about the problem rather than sit around and feel useless.

She finally got to the Bridge and headed in, promptly stopping in front of the Director and saluting him with a firm, "Sir!"

"At ease Agent Carolina." Carolina took the instruction and finally looked at her surroundings. It was then that she noticed the other body in the room, Agent Florida. That could mean something. Whether good or bad, she wasn't sure.

"Now as you must know, Agent York and Agent Connecticut were sent out on a recon mission a week ago. They were due back four days ago and we lost contact with them since even before then. As you can tell, this is a problem. I am sending you both to track the two of them down while doing recon of your own. This is a stealth search and rescue mission which is why I have chosen the two of you. The outpost is thought to be located on Sidewinder. I expect constant radio contact and a completed mission. Agent Carolina, I do not have to remind you that it is necessary we retrieve their armour no matter what," Carolina nodded and he smiled, "Good. The Pelican will be leaving in one hour, so I suggest you make preparations. You are dismissed." 

Carolina and Florida saluted with a matching "Yes Sir!" and left the bridge, heading to where they'd find their supplies. 

Carolina headed to her locker and grabbed the necessities: her magnum, grappling hook, and York's lighter. Mostly as a show of not giving up to herself. Afterwards, she promptly headed to the hangar where 479er was waiting for her. 

"Carolina! It's about time, Florida's already here and we're ready to go!" Carolina enjoyed the pilot's banter and usually participated but she was too worried about York and Connie to give it a second thought.

She must have hung her head a small bit because next thing she knew, 479er had a hand on her shoulder and was staring at her. "Don't worry kiddo, we'll find them."

Carolina nodded, realizing she needed the encouragement. "Thanks 47. We better get going, you know how restless Florida gets before a mission."

479er laughed as she stepped into the ship. "You got that right." She started up the ship as Carolina took her place in the Co-Pilots seat. 

The Mother of Invention had been somewhat close to Sidewinder, but the empty space still gave her some time to wonder about what could have happened on their mission. In all honesty, she was expecting the worst. York always did get himself into those types of situations.

Once 479er said they were close to York and Connie's drop off, she headed into the back where Florida was pacing. "Hey boss! I would just like to say that I expect the best results from the both of us, which is only certain when it comes to you. I also cannot wait to join you as I do believe it will have a splendid outcome!"

Carolina gave a small huff of a laugh. Florida's optimism always seemed to cheer her up. Though it could be the fact that she knows how scary he can be when he wants to. "You got that right Florida. Now let's go find our teammates."

Minutes later, they landed in a light snowfall and hopped out, watching 479er as she left them. Then there was just the howl of wind and the crunch of ice and snow. Carolina checked on her supplies while Florida scouted the surrounding area. She took the moment to use her armour camouflage to blend in with the snow and soon enough Florida was calling for her. 

She went up to him and saw him pointing to a building within a cliff face. "I think that may be just as good of place to start as any. Up for some climbing?"

Carolina grinned under her helmet and nodded. "For sure. Let's get to it." They set off towards the cliff, Carolina taking the lead with some good hopes for this mission. Hopes that they'd find Connie and York in one piece.

The trek toward the cliff was a slow one as the snowfall got progressively worse. Nevertheless, they moved forward until they had arrived at the cliff face. It was a long climb towards the building so Carolina took out her grappling hook. 

"I'll go ahead and check out the area. Start climbing and I'll give you the all clear once I've checked it out." She saw Florida nod with an 'Alrighty Boss' before she pointed upwards and shot the hook. It grabbed onto the bottom of the building and she started climbing up.

Once Carolina had reached the top, she swung herself toward the edge so that she could catch the ledge of the building. Once she had a firm hold, she released the hook and drew her magnum. She climbed up on the platform swiftly and ready to shoot. Only it didn't seem necessary.

Around the platform was the dead bodies of several Insurrectionist soldiers. She got closer to one and inspected them closer, seeing what looked like claw marks ripped through their chest. The blood was dried and the exposed flesh was frostbitten. Over viewing the area, she found many of the soldiers had the same wounds on them. 

Carolina turned on her radio link to Florida. "Hey Florida, get up here as soon as possible. I don't think it's really the Insurrection we should be worrying about here."

"I am on my way boss, I will be there as soon as I can." Florida had said but Carolina barely registered it. She had spotted movement within the building and was chasing after it.

Carolina burst through a door and found herself face to face with a wounded soldier with their hands up. "Please don't kill me! I'm unarmed, see!"

Carolina walked up with her magnum still aimed and patted them down. She saw them move out of the corner of her eye and swiftly grabbed their wrist, making them drop the knife they had been holding. She would have shot them then if it weren't for the information they could have. 

She heard movement and noticed that Florida had now entered the room. "This seems like such a mess! Oh Carolina it looks like you have a survivor. I wonder what they could tell us." Florida sounded inquiring which meant for their sake, she hoped the soldier answered her questions.

"Alright. First off, what happened?" The soldier was quiet until she tightened her grip on her gun. "Answer me or I shoot your foot."

"Alright, alright! We were attacked. I don't know by what. It was fast and it wasn't human. It decimated us all and I'm pretty sure I'm the only one left. That good enough?" The soldier was wide eyed but their body language spoke that they were hiding something still.

"You say everyone is gone? There would have been two agents around here, one in brown armour and one in gold armour. What happened to them?" Carolina was ready to find her teammates and leave already and she could do it the easy way or the hard way. 

The soldier grinned at the mention of York and Connecticut. "So you are Freelancer. Don't worry, they got attacked too. But the thing certainly went all out on them. Wouldn't know where they are now, because they definitely aren't here." They were lying and Carolina knew it. And she would not condone this lying.

"Hey Florida, continue questioning them. I'm gonna take a look around." She wound a rope around the soldier and a bar, knowing that Florida would rather them still.  
"Oh good, looks like the bitch is gone, can't wait to see what the bitch's bitch has to offer." The soldier was scoffing and Carolina knew they had just signed their own death certificate. 

"Will do boss. I think us two will have a little fun, so take all the time you need." Carolina saw Florida opening his tool bag and took it as her cue to get out of there. She was barely in the next room before she could hear the screams start.

She went through some useless documents and saved the important papers in her pack, and computer files onto a memory key. Otherwise, all the building had was more and more dead bodies, some more gruesome than others.

She took this time to contact command and update them on the situation. "Agent Carolina to the Mother of Invention."

"Report Agent Carolina." The Director's voice was crisp in her helmet.

"Situation is not as previously thought. Florida and I have infiltrated the enemy base to find most dead. There was one alive who had explained the presence of some sort of beast on the planet that had attacked. It seems that wherever this beast it is where we will find Agents Connecticut and York. That was all I could extract from the soldier but Agent Florida is currently interrogating further. Otherwise, I have searched the base and picked up anything of importance, also downloading files onto a disk. That is all." Carolina had been making her way back to where she had left Florida as she made the call. The screaming had stopped so that had to be a sign he was done.

"Thank you Agent Carolina, continue the mission with caution, we do not know what is out there. We will see if there is any information on inhabitants on Sidewinder, but otherwise we have no other intel." The Director had finished and Carolina was hoping they'd be able to tell them more but then again, in their files on Sidewinder it was listed as an uninhabited planet. 

"Yes sir. Agent Carolina out." She turned off her radio just as Florida stepped out of the room, cleaning a knife. Carolina knew she would not have to ask whether the soldier was dead or not. The answer was always the same.

"It seems as though there is a cave system that the beast had chased after York and Connie to. It should be south of our current location. It sure does seem that we are that much closer to finding our teammates." Florida had the type of smile in his voice he got after interrogating a particularly fun subject.

"Does seem that way. Let's get moving, if the beast is planning the same for them as it did for these soldiers, then we best get there as soon as possible." Carolina was worried she may find them in the same state but she pushed those worries aside, knowing that the two of them could hold their own. Still, the thought lingered.

They headed further down through the building, which seemed to be spread throughout the whole mountain. Upon reaching the bottom, they found a garage and took the nearest Warthog. Once Florida started it up, Carolina took the passenger seat and Florida drove off, through a hole in the mountain, leading them to drive through the snowstorm.  
The drive took about an hour of deciding how they would execute a plan. It was basic that they had to locate York and Connecticut while doing their best to avoid the beast or find it before it found them. As soon as they came close to the cave, Carolina heard static on her radio and immediately turned it on.

"York? Connecticut? It's Agent Carolina, please respond." She waited eagerly for a reply and sighed with relief when she heard a cough. 

"Well if it isn't my favourite girl," York started coughing again which sounded awful, "Come to my rescue again?"

Carolina laughed before answering. "I think this makes seventeen times? I believe you're at, what, four?"

"Please 'Lina, give me some credit. I'm clearly at six." He coughed again and Carolina decided to get down to business as they were nearing the cave entrance.

"Alright York, what's your situation? Where's Connie? Florida and I are just outside the cave system." Carolina was explaining as she saw Florida turning on his radio.

"And can I say, it is so good to hear your voice again York. Carolina-," Carolina hit his arm to make him think twice, "I mean all of us certainly missed you around." 

York laughed at his slip up. "Don't worry Florida, I missed you and everyone else too. Connie is currently unconscious, she's been off and on these past few days. I had to move my healing unit into her armour and turn it on. And yes Carolina I know they aren't supposed to be used yet but she got the worst of it. We were attacked by something. It kinda looked like a wolf, but it was standing upright and was stark white. We managed to find a section of the cave it couldn't find us but I heard it in the cave. If you're coming, be careful. It's huge and can hide next to anything outside and in the cave." York finished and Carolina started planning out a good strategy. 

"Alright, we need to get you both out of there as soon as possible and hopefully we won't run into-"

"Carolina!" Carolina turned to see Florida leap out of the way as a giant humanoid wolf charged the Warthog. She jumped at the last second and watched as the wolf knocked the jeep into a mountain where it blew up. 

Carolina got her first look at the wolf and saw the white fur that York was talking about, with large fangs and blood red eyes. She rose her magnum and shot three times which just seemed to piss it off. It howled before charging her. Carolina could barely see due to the snowstorm so she braced for impact from the speedy wolf and was knocked back, rolling across the snow. She looked up to see Florida's dark blue form climbing up on the Wolf's back and stabbing a knife into it's neck. It growled and swung Florida into a wall where he laid, not moving. 

Carolina brought her magnum up again and shot so that the wolf would focus on her and not her downed teammate. It turned and she could see blue blood seeping out of the bullet wounds. It charged again and she rolled out of the way, letting the wolf crash into another wall. It stepped back after being stunned and glared at her, murder on its face. "Come and get it." She said, taunting a beast that seemed to understand her. It reared its head up in another howl and charged again. Carolina took out her grappling hook and used the ice to her advantage, sliding under the wolf and shooting the hook at its leg. She got up and began to run around where the beast was now standing, locking its legs into place with the rope of the hook. The beast was felled and it tried to crawl its way towards her. It got distracted as shots came from the mouth of the cave and it turned. Carolina saw as York was there, gun in one hand and the other holding his side. 

Carolina took the momentary distraction to jump on the beast's back and shoot into its skull, finally plunging the knife she took from the soldier earlier into its head.

The wolf died with a howl, head slumping on the ice with a pool of blue blood leaking from the wolf. 

Carolina grabbed the hilt of the knife and gave a good tug, freeing it from the wolf's head. Then she got off the wolf and went to see York who was now sitting at the edge of the cave. 

"Hey Carolina, nice to be invited to the party. I think that makes seven now?" Carolina smiled, knowing York was alright. 

"I don't think so. I had the situation under control, with or without your help. I just happened to use your distraction as an assist." York chuckled at that. 

"Oh c'mon. At least give me a little half point for that?" Seeing as Carolina was just staring at him, he shook his head, "Oh whatever. I'll count it as a personal victory, much more rewarding." 

Carolina helped him up and afterwards went over to Florida who was just getting up. "Nice to see that thing finished. Ah York, pleasure to see you up and at 'em."

"Ya, feels great, except the claw scratch on my side. Nothing I can't get over. Shall we go get Connie?"

Carolina agreed, telling Florida to contact 479er with their location as she went to find Connie with York. As soon as they reached her, York woke her with a gentle shake of her shoulder. "Hey Connie wake up, they're here just like I said they'd be."

Connecticut slowly got up and looked over to Carolina, as she held her torso- Carolina guessed that's where her injuries were. "Good. Are we headed back?" 

"Ya. Florida is contacting 479er. Here, let me help." Carolina moved to help Connecticut walk but she shook her head, even though it looked like she could barely stand. 

"I can walk by myself, thanks." Connecticut took the lead out of the cave as York an Carolina shared a look. York merely shrugged and walked after her. Carolina sighed and followed her admittedly stubborn teammates. 

The pelican was already there as they exited the cave. Florida helped Connie and Carolina could see that Connie was different with him than with her. Ya, her and Connie were fine but she guessed Connie and Florida just had a better connection. York followed and sat down in one of the seats across from the other two and Carolina moved up front.

"Good to have you back Carolina." 479er greeted her as she entered.

Carolina smiled as she took her place. "It's good to be back 47." She got settled and made sure everything was good with check ups and mission status. Then she communicated with the Mother of Invention. "This is Agent Carolina. The mission was a success and Agents York and Connecticut have been retrieved. Medical personnel should be on standby."

"Affirmative." The reply was swift but it was all Carolina needed. 

Carolina moved to the back and sat next to York who was relaxing. "Glad to see you both safe and sound."

York took off his helmet and grinned. "You missed me." He sounded too happy for his own good and Carolina huffed. 

"I missed my teammates for your information. Just be glad we cared enough to take you back." York laughed with mutters of 'sure Carolina'. Carolina smiled because she really did miss him. And she was glad he was back.

They docked at the Mother of Invention a short time later and Connie, York, and Florida were all carted off to medical as soon as they left the plane. Carolina told them she'd see them soon and left to head towards the bridge.

She found the Director there and handed the information disk as well as all the papers she deemed valuable over to the Director. Then she stood at attention after giving him a report of the mission. 

"Excellent work Agent Carolina. You completed more than was assigned and we are grateful for that. You are dismissed. Counselor, please update the board."

Carolina saluted and left towards the locker room. There she dropped her items, including her newly acquired knife, into her locker. Then she turned to the board to see it.  
Carolina and Florida had gained points whereas York and Connie had lost some, but otherwise there were no major changes on the board. Carolina had felt happy about her work this mission. Sure she was on top but all she cared about was getting the mission done.

Being Number One would never be the biggest thing in her mind.


End file.
